Illuminati
"Science is God." The poster child for secret societies, the Illuminati are actually quite real. Unfortunately, much confusion on the part of outsiders has seen their organization misidentified with that of the New World Order. The actual Illuminati were founded by Adam Weishaupt, a professor of science in Europe at a time when the Jesuits ruled the academic systems. Weishaupt, a dedicated member of the Order of Skeptics, founded the 'Enlightened Ones' to act as a secret club where heretical notions could be entertained without fear of authoritarian reprisal. From these humble beginnings emerged a force that has shaped the modern world. The Illuminati, today, are one of the largest and most powerful Chapters on earth. Status: Active (very, very Active). Facts: -Born in the seventeenth century, originally as a pro-science faction of Adepts, the Illuminati later acted as a defensive force against state persecution. The Illuminati survived by cutting deals with other forces at work in the world, particularly the Hermetic Society, the Fraternal Order of Builders, and the New World Order. All three of these earlier Chapters had a major part to play in the early formation of the Illuminati, particularly the first two. -The Illuminati are a secret society that exists within the scientific community. They exist to further the cause of science and protect scientists and their experiments from outside control and manipulation. -The term Illuminati means 'the Enlightened Ones.' Among themselves, members of the Illuminati simply refer to each other as the Enlightened Ones. -Sir Isaac Newton was said to have been a member of the Illuminati, possibly even the Grand Master of the Chapter for awhile. -The triangle and unfinished pyramid, borrowed from Freemasonry, are important symbols to the Illuminati. The All-Seeing Eye of God is also a common symbol, although it appears that was a later addition to the Chapter well after its founding. -The Illuminati usually can't produce the raw fighting power that other Chapters can, but what they lack in military capacity they make up for in technological might and superior intelligence. Illuminati frequently go into battle with the best equipment, including Next Generation tech. Sentinels of Science: In their most positive aspect, the Illuminati are the defenders and patrons of Science itself. They exist to further its interest, to see it defended against those who would abuse or pervert it. They are the employers of bright minds and the recruiters of real talent. They exist to see science triumph over all forms of superstition and ignorance. War on Superstition: Unfortunately, often in their darker aspect, the Illuminati can be quite militant. This is particularly the case in regards to things such as superstition, the occult, the study of magick, or the practice of religion. To most Illuminati, especially the New World Illuminati, these are all symptoms of ignorance, the ancient nemesis of all Illuminati everywhere. Because of this, the entire Chapter has a strict ban on the study or practice of magick and the occult. While individuals or entities from outside the Chapter may be brought in for study, Illuminati themselves will not take up the study of magick. And to do so (and be revealed) would cause a serious drop in one's place within the Chapter. Needless to say, you're not likely to see many members of the Arcane Orders present. This is especially so for the Order of Witches. Formation within the Fraternal Order: For the first few decades of its existence, the Illuminati were essentially a wing of the Fraternal Order of Builders. Not yet strong enough and lacking the assets to stand on their own, the early Illuminati founded lodges for themselves and operated as a special form of Masonic heritage. Unfortunately, things came to a head when, in their quest to purify the Freemasons of their occult teachings, the early Illuminati staged a coup attempt. After founding lodge after lodge, where only Illuminati could join, and placing their people in positions of power within the older Lodges, the Illuminati attempted to literally hijack the Fraternal Order from within. The plot failed, of course, due in no small part to safeguards within the Fraternal Order itself. The older lodges, recognizing the subtle power-plays of the younger Illuminati lodges, had communicated with each other discreetly. Soon, the Illuminati found themselves walled off from the rest of the Fraternal Order, and eventually were forced to separate and form their own private Chapter. Rise of the New Age: Ever since the Industrial Revolution, the place of empirical science has become center and dominant within today's society. It is no small exaggeration to say that modern civilization is now wholly dependant on science and technology to continue running. The Illuminati spent years suffering the persecution of both state and church in their quest to ignore tradition and embrace the taboo. And their many years of long-suffering have paid off. With the dawn of the new millennium, the Illuminati are a vast Chapter with countless assets and corporate liquidity. Their resources are so vast, it is doubtful even the highest leaders within the Chapter fully know and understand all the power they wield! New World / Old World Illuminati: The biggest internal divide beween Illuminati is that of the Old World and New World Illuminati. The founder of the Chapter is Trial of Galileo: The Illuminati began as a Chapter of empirical-idealists who wanted to work together, to support each other's lines of research and promote the cause of science in general. After the persecutions that sent them underground following the Trial of Galileo, the Illuminati became a much darker Chapter, one whose goals now also included the fighting of those who opposed human understanding and advancement. Technological Power: The Illuminati are at their best in the arena of science and technology. Advanced weapons and gadgets are what they are all about, and even low-ranking members of the Chapter will still possess high stats for science and gadget engineering. Agents of the Illuminati will be equipped with technology that shouldn't exist yet. Cell phones that are actually satellite phones, computer programs that can hack whole systems in seconds, combat robots, medical implants, even cerebral implants.... Pretty much anything you've ever seen in a cyberpunk film or book is probably present somewhere within the Illuminati. Codes & Secrecy: The Illuminati are heavy users of codes and cryptopgraphy. This had a very real, practical purpose because the Chapter was frequently being targeted by outside forces, especially during their earlier periods. Both the State and Church had a vested interest in making sure that the upstart scientists didn't threaten the status quo with their dicoveries. To stay hidden and protect themselves and their allies, the Illuminati learned to hide in plain sight. They frequently use symbols and codewords to communicate amongst themselves. The Deep Web, the bulk of useless information that is the Real Internet, is where much of the meetings and communication between Illuminati members takes place. Temples of Science: The Illuminati are thoroughly embedded in the scientific community, and in much of higher education. You'd be hard-pressed to find a major league college or university, let alone an Ivy League University, that doesn't have at least a few Illuminati members or affiliates. Science labs and research foundations are also influenced by the Illuminati. The Chapter works hard to keep its members in the leading and innovative sectors of society. From DARPA to CERN, the Illuminati raise these strongholds of science and technology and keep them protected from all who would destroy them or manipulate their research. References: -https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bl8fQi1RhTg -http://www.illuminati-news.com/moriah.htm -http://www.sjgames.com/illuminati/ -http://www.masonicinfo.com/illuminati.htm -https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANlPZO12nQw Category:Illuminati Category:Chapter Category:Elemental